Shoutbox

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Originally posted by rav0
Ideally, you'll have a high powered air compressor to clean the fins, and then use expensive Arctic Silver products to clean the base. Otherwise, just use a can of air or wash the heatsink, and then scrape any gunk off the bottom. Use a can of air, or just blow dust off the fan, or wipe it clean.

PS get rid of the dust while you're outside because it will go everywhere .

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i take it soap and water won't work?

Just water will get rid of dust from the top (fins). If the base has enything on it, it will need some work.

You could also buy a new heatsink/fan instead

ok so water won't damage it,good to know, would any cleaners/soaps damage it for the "gunk" on teh bottem, if there is any (haven't looked yet)

I don't think that anything will damage it. It's probably made of aluminium.

When I cleaned mine, I used a paper towel, and foil to work at it.

Know this though, mine isn't cleaned properly, it works fine, though it could be a lot cleaner. There is still a bit of adhesive from the thermal pad that was there, and the foil would have left behind some redidue as well. It looks pretty clean, but I know that it could be better.

quote:

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Originally posted by rav0
There is still a bit of adhesive from the thermal pad that was there, and the foil would have left behind some redidue as well. It looks pretty clean, but I know that it could be better

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if mine has a thermal pad, should i remove it to get the heat down or would that make it worse?

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Originally posted by NiteMare

quote:

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Originally posted by rav0
There is still a bit of adhesive from the thermal pad that was there, and the foil would have left behind some redidue as well. It looks pretty clean, but I know that it could be better

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if mine has a thermal pad, should i remove it to get the heat down or would that make it worse?

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When installing a heatsink, using a thermal pad may or may not improve head conduction (though I wouldn't use one).

If there is already a thermal pad there, when you find out, you will have taken the heatsink off already. Putting it back on with the thermal pad won't be very good, and it will be better to take the thermal pad off.

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Originally posted by rav0
If there is already a thermal pad there, when you find out, you will have taken the heatsink off already. Putting it back on with the thermal pad won't be very good, and it will be better to take the thermal pad off.

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alright, then i assum replacing it with that thermal compound, as well as cleaning off any gunk on the cpu? (carefuly of course)

Well, if you're going to buy thermal paste, then you might as well buy some cleaner and clean your CPU and heatsink properly before installing it using paste.

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Originally posted by rav0

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Originally posted by Apatik
opening your case also means more dust entering it ;p

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Not actually.

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Yeah, right.

Thermal pads and grease are applied for one-time use.  Whenever you replace the heatsink, you should clean it all off and re-apply it fresh.

Which implies you shouldn't take the heatsink off if you don't have fresh thermal compound to put back on it.   

I've always used rubbing alcohol (isopropanol) for cleaning off the old gunk.  You probably have some somewhere in the house already.  If not, any drug store should have it.

It is easier to apply the new compound to the CPU.  If your CPU has an exposed core, apply a thin and even layer to the top of the core only.  If it has a metal heat spreader, coat evenly the entire surface.  Less is more -- the thinner the layer of thermal compound, the better.